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During the award presentation after the Division I high school boys hockey state championship this month, the Champlain Valley Union fan base serenaded the game’s star with a chant:

“Mr. Hock-ey, Mr. Hock-ey,” they sung, their voices bouncing off the walls of Gutterson Fieldhouse as Robbie Dobrowski skated to receive his championship medal.

Redhawk Nation had given its collective vote for Dobrowski, the dangerous forward who clinched CVU’s second crown in three years with a breathtaking third-period strike in a 1-0 win over Essex.

Today, it’s official: Dobrowski is Burlington Free Press’ Mr. Hockey, an honor given annually to the top high school player in Vermont.

“It was pretty much the picture-perfect way to end my senior year here. I had a great season as far as goals and assists, and more important, it’s the name on the front the jersey,” said Dobrowski, who finished with 37 goals and 24 assists this season. “To win my second championship in four years, play in the championship all four years, and to end it on that goal, it’s pretty good. I’m very happy.”

With a quick turn and a quicker shot — he used a spin in the corner to create enough space for a wrister that slipped past Essex goalie Pat Campbell — Dobrowski capped his prolific career in style with that title-clinching goal. He finished with 94 goals — including 15 game-winners and 10 shorthanded — to go with 71 assists.

“It’s a storybook ending. The hero of the team finishes the game — I guess it would only be better if it was overtime or something,” CVU coach Mike Murray said. “Hardly anybody in the state can make that shot, let alone even the turn back to get open to make that shot.”

For all the accolades, the goals and fanfare, Dobrowski did it as a four-year high school player, deciding against prep school options.

“I think it’s the common thread or feeling now: If you want to go farther, you have to play juniors or you have to go to prep school,” Murray said. “And nothing against those avenues, they are good for some people, but it’s nice to see that you can stay home with your friends, play multiple sports and get where you want to go.”

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Which is Middlebury College. Dobrowski, who carries a 4.06 GPA, will play for Bill Beaney and the eight-time national champion Panthers next fall.

In hindsight, Dobrowski said he made the right decision — “There’s not a lot of players who get right out of Vermont high schools and play in college and I’m thrilled to be one of them,” he said — but as an up-and-coming player in middle school and his early high school years, the pressure to leave was great.

“Growing up, coaches telling you ‘go to prep school,’ and I sat down with some coaches and people close to me and decided prep school wasn’t the right decision for me,” said Dobrowski, who plays lacrosse in the spring. “Obviously, it turned out great and hopefully this can be a lesson for kids who come up in the future that you don’t have to go to prep school to make it to the next level.”

One of those influential voices in Dobrowski’s life was Doug Hopper, who stepped down as CVU’s head coach last year but still holds a general manager-type position with the program.

“A lot of kids go to prep school because they feel like they have to improve something, whether that’s hockey or education,” Hopper said. “In Robbie’s case, he’s such a determined, hard-working young man, I couldn’t see the advantage.

“Did it work out? Absolutely,” Hopper added. “Championship game — the winning goal. It’s kind of hard to top that.”